New Renault Koleos vs Mazda CX-5

As Renault’s largest SUV, the new Koleos should meet the needs of most families. Let’s see how it stacks up against Mazda’s CX-5...

What Car? team

21 February 2017

Buying and owning

Costs, equipment, reliability, safety and security

The CX-5 has the cheaper list price, and while the gap narrows with a bit of haggling, it’ll still cost you less than the Koleos to buy and will lose you less in depreciation over the first three years.

Slow depreciation usually helps to make finance deals more competitive, but it’s actually the Koleos that will cost you less each month on a 36-month, 12,000-mile-a-year PCP deal (with a deposit of £2500). That’s mainly because Renault will throw in a £2000 contribution to your deposit, whereas Mazda only adds £500, making the former cheaper by £21 a month.

Surprisingly, despite the CX-5 having the more powerful engine, it was actually the more economical car in our real-world True MPG tests. Expect to pay around an extra £150 at the pumps over 12,000 miles or so if you choose the Koleos.

There’s barely anything in it if you plan to lease. If you’re a company car driver paying benefit-in-kind tax, choosing the CX-5 will mean sacrificing roughly £10 less of your salary each month (assuming you’re a 40% taxpayer).

Both SUVs have been awarded the full five stars by Euro NCAP, although the CX-5 received higher marks for adult, child and pedestrian protection. To help you avoid an accident in the first place, both cars come with automatic emergency braking, while the Koleos adds a lane departure warning system.